The United States is one of BMW’s most important markets. China might do more sales, and Germany is home turf, but America is right there with them in terms of importance. Hell, the majority of BMW SUVs sold worldwide are made here. And yet, America typically doesn’t drive BMW’s portfolio direction because we mostly just buy SUVs. Which is why it’s ironic that the reason the BMW M2 xDrive exists is mostly because of America. Specifically it’s snowier states.
According to BMWBlog, BMW M boss Frank van Meel said during an interview that the M2 xDrive was made because customers from the U.S. snowbelt wanted it. And that’s no surprise, really. That’s a big part of why BMW started adding all-wheel drive to cars like the M5 and M3. In snowier climates, BMW M was getting its lunch eaten by Audi and its Quattro RS cars. BMW wanted a slice of that all-weather pie, and all-wheel drive was the answer.
Photo: BMW/UWE FISCHER
It wasn’t only the U.S., though. Snowier European countries like Switzerland wanted it, too. Again, no surprise. Customers who want an M2 don’t want to spend all of that money to keep the car locked away in a garage for half the year. They want to be able to slap snow tires on it and feel confident that nearly 500 horsepower isn’t going to spin them into a snowy grave. And considering that the M2 was BMW’s best-selling M car last year, it wants as many demanding customers as possible to be happy.
BMW M’s xDrive system is barely a compromise, anyway. It’s almost entirely rear-wheel drive for the vast majority of driving, and few humans on Earth are perceptive enough to know when it’s actually engaging that front axle. And if you want good old fashioned tire-torching fun, you can deactivate the front axle, making it rear-wheel drive at the press of a button. OK, several buttons, but you get the idea. With that sort of flexibility, the M2 xDrive is a no-brainer for customers in cold climates. So thank you, snowbelt America.